Robinson crashes the boards as Knicks thrash Timberwolves
NEW YORK, United States — What started as a typical postgame press conference for New York Knicks coach Mike Brown quickly turned into a lighthearted quiz show.
“I’m going to take a poll,” Brown said with a grin. “Who has seen a stat sheet that has somebody playing 16 minutes and get nine offensive rebounds?”
A reporter answered without hesitation: “Mitchell Robinson.”
The 7-foot Knicks center’s tireless work on the glass fueled New York’s 137-114 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time), keeping the Knicks unbeaten at Madison Square Garden this season.
“That was absolutely amazing,” Brown said.
Robinson’s relentless rebounding powers Knicks
With Robinson anchoring the paint, the Knicks dominated the boards, grabbing 21 offensive rebounds, which led to 31 second-chance points. Minnesota’s towering frontline of Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid struggled to keep him off the glass.
Robinson, still regaining his conditioning three games after returning from a nagging ankle injury, finished with 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in just 16 minutes. His impact, though, went far beyond the stat sheet.
“I thought Mitch had nine or 10 blocks,” Brown said. “I was shocked he only had three. But Mitch was all over the place — guarding everybody, contesting shots, blocking shots.”
Robinson admitted afterward that he’s still working his way back into full shape.
“I’m tired,” he told the local beat reporters in the locker room. “I need to work on that.”
Even so, his timing and positioning made all the difference.
“[Rudy] Gobert likes to help a lot,” Robinson explained. “That’s my perfect opportunity to go crash the glass — and that’s what I did.”
Teammates praise Robinson’s energy and impact
Robinson’s effort didn’t go unnoticed. Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds for New York, acknowledged Robinson’s influence.
“That’s what he does,” Towns told reporters. “He’s a beast. The whole league knows he impacts the game.”
OG Anunoby, who led the Knicks with 25 points and eight rebounds, including five offensive boards, echoed that sentiment.
“He impacts the game in ways no one else can — blocking shots, contesting, rebounding,” Anunoby said. “He’s amazing defensively and helps our team a lot.”
Jalen Brunson, who recorded 23 points and 10 assists, also credited Robinson for giving shooters confidence.
“It’s very impressive,” Brunson told reporters. “When he’s out there doing that, it makes us really comfortable taking shots because we know we might get a second chance.”
Bench steps up: McBride and Hart deliver spark
It wasn’t just Robinson making noise. Miles “Deuce” McBride and Josh Hart gave the Knicks a major boost off the bench.
McBride poured in 14 points and four assists, with seven of those points coming in the second half. His defense earned him the team’s “Defensive Player of the Game” honors, though Brown said Robinson could have easily shared it.
“They were big,” Brown said. “But I’ve got to give a lot of credit to Deuce. He was aggressive the right way, under control, and got us into our offense.”
Hart contributed 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, helping New York’s bench outscore Minnesota’s reserves 53-26.
“Josh was also a big catalyst in getting us to push the pace and play the right way,” Brown said. “Those two guys did a lot of little things that don’t show up on the box score.”
Knicks stay perfect at home, look like true contenders
The Knicks’ defense limited Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to just 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting in his return from a hamstring injury.
New York’s balance, energy, and effort turned what was expected to be a tight contest into their biggest win of the season — a performance that showcased their depth, chemistry, and determination.
With Robinson healthy and their supporting cast thriving, the Knicks look every bit like a team ready to challenge the NBA’s elite — and they’re doing it in front of their roaring home crowd at Madison Square Garden.
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Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for US-based publication Heavy.com.
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